International Times
London "underground" publication mentioned frequently by Peel during the Perfumed Garden era, and occasionally in his early BBC programmes. Following the demise of Radio London, the DJ contributed a Perfumed Garden column and and often appeared elsewhere in IT's pages. His columns ran from August 1967 to mid-1969, the most stable period in IT's turbulent history, but when in 1969 the financially struggling paper introduced its own "music supplement", with features, interviews, reviews and record company ads, his contributions became less frequent and eventually ceased. *Links are provided below for Peel-related pages in the online IT archive, with the aim of providing a full index in date order. Work is still at an early stage and all help is much appreciated. Perfumed Garden columns 1967 IT 18, 1967-08-31, p. 9 Firstly, what has happened? Many good things, some bad. The closing of Radio London was a sorrowful affair but the final hour was exactly right and I was proud to be involved. Losing the Perfumed Garden filled me with a great sadness as it had come to be more important to me than most people realised... IT 19, 1967-10-05, p. 13 Written from the depths of quadruple pneumonia with Dandelion, a hamster, surveying me gravely from her bed of lettuce. Clive Selwood, who call himself "the round peg in the square suit" and who is responsible for the British promotion of elevating Elektra records called me "an Underground William Hickey" after reading the last IT... IT 21, 1967-11-17, p. 12 There is a remote possibility that this will be the last time the coagulated thoughts of Chairman Peel appear in print (sounds of distant rejoicing). This evening I am contracted to lie underneath an elephant for Billy Smart, the B.B.C., and Christmas Day television viewers. I trust that you will all bear witness to this feast of reason and intellect... IT 22, 1967-12-15, p. 15 Written on the floor at Peel Acres in front of a coal fire and Dandelion, hamster-extraordinary. The time is, as usual, some days after various deadlines and outside the snow is melting and running softly down the steps leading into our own Bag End. On Clive Selwood's elderly gramophone revolves one of the amazing records of John Fahey... 1968 IT 23, 1968-01-05, p. 6 Chateau in Virginia Waters by Marc Bolan, Essex Music Broken English words cracked the air like a bell... IT 24, 1968-01-19, p. 10 This weekend sees the arrival in Britain of Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band. They will be at Middle Earth on Saturday night and jostling the pacesetters at the Speakeasy on Sunday. If you never again see another group go and see them. Public taste being what it is it may be that the Captain and his strange crew will not lighten our dank and mysterious shores again... IT 26, 1968-02-16 p. 10 Peace News is the only paper in this slow-motion whirlpool country posting notice of the raw injustices and cynical, diseases political moves that make each sun that rises on our loves and hopes more of a miracle than that which preceded it. Like much that is worthwhile they shout for support into a bitter wind... IT 27, 1968-03-08, p. 11 Sympathies and my love to all those humiliated during and following the recent raid on the Middle Earth. One girl told me that she was searched four times by an assortment of robust lady policemen. They found nothing, but didn't seem to mind. In view of all this may I urge your renewed support for Release. You may be next... IT 30, 1968-05-03, p. 4-13 "This is going to be mainly LP recommendations interspersed with chat and Morris dancing..." Artists mentioned: John Renbourn, National Gallery, Lollipop Shoppe, Loading Zone, First Edition ("pretty bad"), The Association ("somewhat disappointing"), Fred Neil, Gabor Szabo, the Gunter Hampel Group ("I honestly, and obviously, know very little about this kind of thing"), Spirit, Fever Tree, Appletree Theatre, Simon and Garfunkel ("Bookends...is a masterpiece...the best LP currently available anywhere"), a "Blues Roots, Mississippi" anthology, the Blues Project, Eric Burdon and the Animals, the Beacon Street Union, Penny Nichols, the Fugs. IT 33, 1968-06-14 p. 12 ("Perfumed Garden" dropped as column name) ''The past few weeks have been among the saddest in my life for many reasons that I should not trouble you with. I am sorry that this may have projected itself onto my relationships with other people or onto 'Top Gear' and 'Night-ride'. There seems to be no end in sight either, and I really can't fake happiness - or want to either, actually... IT 35, 1968-07-12, p. 6 Written on the wings of the weekend past which carried with it more love and more hope than I believed was possible. Underneath the Saturday skies the blessed drifted and around them music hung in the air and touched the trees. Those who were not there missed, as they must have been told several thousand times, the nicest afternoon of the year... IT 37, 1968-07-12, p. 6 In a few weeks Ustad Vilayat Khan will be on 'Top Gear' and will play a raga lasting about twenty minutes. Those who don't like Indian music will not appreciate this much but it really is a conspicuous breakthrough. The whole point of Thursday morning's 'Night-Ride' has been to play and do so many different and, hopefully, good things... IT 38, 1968-08-23, p. 17 It appears that I have once again, with the immeasurable grace and finesse at my command, placed my foot in a wide assortment of animal waste products. In a recent edition of 'Disc' there appeared, along with a caption of considerable drollness, a picture of the misshapen Peelian anatomy as it took a bath. Trivial and pointless though the whole exercise was... IT 41, 1968-10-04, p. 7 The autumnal air his heavy with promise — a new Beefheart LP is on the way. Perhaps by the time this is read it will already be in the import shoppes. Following various hang-ups with established and short-sighted record companies the Magic Band's guiding light, Bob Krasnow, has formed his own company. The label is Blue Thumb and the LP is to be... IT 42, 1968-10-18, p.12 My dear John Peel, first, to avoid misunderstanding I hasten to say I am a lonely old person (80 in November) and your broadcast on Woman's Hour warmed my heart and raised my faith in human nature which has sunk VERY low in these last few years. The value of even a smile or kindly word in the street from a passer-by . . . for seven years I have lived alone... IT 44, 1968-11-15, p.9 (Peel column space "donated" to allow room for John Lennon drawings.) IT 45 1968-11-29 p. 16 I have no idea what to write about this morning, but I got up early and perhaps something will fall into the wasteland of my head in the next few hours. Perhaps the friendliness of "The Beatles', currently charting a million turntable miles at Peel Acres, will help. Sorry about missing the last few issues (Is anyone else?) but things have been ridiculous lately... IT 46 1968-12-13 p. 19 There is always a great air of melancholy about Christmas. Perhaps this is because the modern holiday symbolizes everything that has gone wrong during the past 2,000 years. When I was a child — oh, what Christmases we had. Francis and I would wake around 2.00 in the morning, unable to sleep with the excitement of it all... 1969 IT 47 1969-01-01 p. 14 Letters have fallen into our lives through the door, there are sounds of small, naked feet on the floor, bathroom lights flicker on and off and on again. The radio rattles out its early morning agony and tells the latest stories of machine-gunners - will this year be that in which the news is of lovers and the loved, of you and the wisdom in woods? IT 50, 1969-02-14 p. 8 It was good to have a holiday in Exeter. The sun shone every day both within and without and Principal Edward's Magic Theatre came and went, some speaking and some not. Instead of promoters and their bullies came Spiderman and Thor and Les and Jeremy and I skulked around Plymouth looking... IT 53 1969-03-28 p.17 This evening there was a touch of spring and other good things in the cinema of the ICA. Principal Edwards Magic Theatre brought their raucous leviathan to The Mall filled with good things (mainly themselves) and played, danced, smiled and sang for a curiously immobile audience.... Gig Listings 1967 IT 20, 1967-10-27, p.14 Peel appears as DJ at Middle Earth (26 October 1967) IT 21, 1967-11-17, p.13 John Peele (sic) again at Middle Earth (17 November) IT 22, 1967-12-15, p.13 "Kaleidoscope of Word Music" at Roundhouse, with JP as compere (20 December) IT 22, 1967-12-15, p.18 Half-page ad shows Peel set to appear (with fellow ex-Radio London DJ Mike Lennox) at Christmas On Earth Continued 1968 IT 31 article on Liverpool Scene with gig listings for band: with John Peel at Aston University, Birmingham (24 May 1968) "In the Sticks" section; "Dance of Words" event at Portsmouth with poets, bands and JP (27 May) Back cover ad; Royal Festival Hall concert featuring Tyrannosaurus Rex and Roy Harper, with Stefan Grossman and David Bowie as supporting acts; "Vibrations by John Peel" (3 June) IT 35 "In the Sticks"; Southport Pier - Traffic, Family, Spooky Tooth, with JP (17 July) IT 36, 1968-07-26, p.8 "In the Sticks"; JP appears on Sunday evening at the 8th National Jazz and Blues Festival, Sunbury (11 Aug) (Peel mentions this to his listeners during his Sunday afternoon Top Gear programme) IT 37, 1968-08-89, p.13 Ad for "A Freak Show" at the Roundhouse, organised by Blackhill Enterprises and Mean and Filthy Productions in aid of community charities, with bands including Family, Action, Deviants, Eclection, and JP (9 Aug?) IT 38, 1968-08-23, p.4 Ad for gig at Theatre Royal, Bury St. Edmunds; John Peel, Principal Edwards Magic Theatre, "Guff" Putkowski (31 Aug) IT 38, 1968-08-23, p. 7 First National Blues Convention at Conway Hall. Full bill of blues performers, plus "Recitals by John Peel, Paul Oliver and Albert McCarthy" (7-8 Sep) IT 39 (?), p.8 Ad for Doors and Jefferson Airplane concert at Roundhouse. JP not listed but said to have compered this legendary event. (6-7 Sep) IT 41, p.9 "What's Happening": London School of Economics; Chicken Shack, Blonde on Blonde, John Peel, Occasional Word Ensemble (2 Nov) (Also listed in IT 43, p.19) IT 41, p.20 Lanchester College of Technology, Coventry; Savoy Brown, Alexis Korner, Pete Brown's Battered Ornaments, John Peel, Jo-Ann Kelly (18 Oct) IT 44, p.20 Jethro Tull and JP at Mothers, Birmingham (24 Nov) 1969 IT 55, 1969-04-25, p.10 Ad for Liverpool Scene concert at St Pancras Town Hall, presented by JP (26 April) IT 56, 1969-05-09, p.31 Ad for concert compered by JP, "In the Cool of the Evening", with Liverpool Scene, John Fahey and others, on 12 May at Hornsey Town Hall. IT 57, 1969-05-23, p.10 Peel comperes benefit concert at Roundhouse for Fairport Convention, after their motorway crash (25 May) IT 57, 1969-05-23, p.10 Ad for concert at Royal Albert Hall; "John Peel introduces Richie Havens..." (June 5) IT 58, 1969-06-13, p.27 JP comperes Bath Festival of Blues (June 28) IT 58, 1969-06-13, p.28 Full-page ad for week of Pop Proms at Royal Albert Hall; JP introduces Incredible String Band, Family, Fairport Convention (July 2) IT 61, 1969-08=01 p.19 "Vicious Rumours, Snide Comments, Downright Lies"; Free concert at Beach House Gardens, Worthing. "The performers include Steamhammer, John Peel and the Entire Sioux Nation" (August 16) IT 62, 1969-08-15, p.6 "What's Happening": "Free concert arranged by Beckenham Arts Lab (Growth): Cast of thousands include Juniors Eyes, Bridget St. John, John Peel, Amory Kane...At Beckenham Recreation Ground on August 16th, starting at noon and carrying on until 8 p.m." IT 65, 1969-09-26, p.3 "What's Happening": All nite underground scene with Fleetwood Mac, Family, Edgar Broughton Band, East of Eden, Spirit of John Morgan, John Peel etc. at Pavilion Gardens, Buxton..... (Sept. 26) Other Mentions 1967 IT 17, 1967-07-28, p.10 ("Sauce Box") Radio London is worth saving, simply because of John Peel's two hour show, "The Perfumed Garden" which is just about the hippies own radio show. "The Perfumed Garden" runs from 12 midnight till two every night during Peel's two-week spells on the ship. IT 18, 1967-08-31, p. 6 (Anonymous "unclassified advertisement" prompted by final Perfumed Garden and closedown of Radio London) In Memoriam Jon ''sic Peel. Murdered - August 15th 1967. "Beautiful beyond belief, but his love shall live in our minds, hearts and deeds". (To a dead sparrow.)'' 1968 IT 23, 1968-01-05, p.14 Ad from Tony Elliott for "poems, short stories, and other creative fantasia" for publication in impending (1968-02-01) edition of UNIT that will include Peel, Hendrix and others. IT 32 Unobtrusive ad from Elektra (at foot of page headed by "Stable Diet" and other music features). Artists mentioned; Eclection and the Doors - "Only John Peel plays 'The Unknown Soldier'" (the Doors single of which had either been banned or deemed unsuitable for Radio One's playlist) IT 33, 1968-06-14, p. 3 REX SET - critical report by "Kip" of Whit Monday concert advertised in previous issue. "What a bringdown from the Tyrannosaurus Rex" (sic) - their performance was disappointing, and JP "seemed to have been turning on with lagers". IT 33, 1968-06-14, p. 18 "Guerilla Pop" article by Mick Farren (Deviants): "If a record does get released, BBC radio devotes only three hours a week to new wave pop (John Peel), and there is no TV time at all." IT 38, 1968-08-23, p. 14 One Stop record shop ad: "Thanks to Chris Welch, John Peel, Jonathan King." IT 40 Centre-spread of poetry and prose written by JP's then favourites, the unrecorded student group Principal Edwards Magic Theatre, with photos and artwork. Concludes "Thank you, John Peel, for everything". 1969 IT 48, 1969-01-17, p. 14 (Simon Stable column) Two mentions: on Tony Palmer's film about Cream's farewell concert,'' "And what happened to John Peel? The three encores after the last performance were entirely his doing. Surely he deserves a 'credit'; re Bridget St. John live set, "''John Peel mentioned her a lot on Night Ride and Top Gear. He's quite right, she is very nice." IT 55, 1969-04-25, p.11 Two mentions here; Simon Stable in his "Droppings from the Stable" column says: "In spite of what you may have heard, John Peel is not leaving the BBC, but will continue Night Riding and Top Gearing forever" (this was just after JP's producer Bernie Andrews had been taken off Top Gear by the BBC); the "Snide Comments, Vicious Rumours and Downright Lies" column explains the absence of a Peel column in this issue: "John Peel getting hustled by so many people for so many things that he really didn't need IT on his back as well..." IT 55, 1969-04-25, pp.14-15 Article by Mick Farren on "John Peel's Midnight Court" concerts at Lyceum accuses the promoters of commercial exploitation of the audience and lack of sympathy for the hippy community; "I feel that John Peel's name is being used greatly in vain". (Subsequent gigs are promoted as simply "Midnight Court".) IT 59, 1969-07-04, p.13 ("Sounds" page, "Singles" column) Andromeda, who were for some time associated with John Peel, have their first single out on RCA Victor...... IT 60, 1969-07-18, p.9 "Free Radio - The Brain Police are Winning". Article on the state of radio (the BBC and elsewhere) with extensive quotes from Peel, who is critical of his employers ("a lot of beaten men who've already conceded defeat to TV years ago and who just want to settle back, see their time out and get the gold watch"). He mentions that he did a pilot TV show for Granada, which "was turned down because of 'insufficient popular appeal'". The writer (Mark Williams) comments that the changes of broadcast time Peel has suffered, with Top Gear moved to Sunday evenings and Night Ride moved "to an awkward hour for all but the hardiest Peel adherents", show that the BBC are hoping that his listening figures will drop, giving them an excuse to phase him out. IT 60, 1969-07-18, p.10 Conclusion of above article and news of "the first underground rock station" Radio Andorra (later Radio Geronimo). Apart from the station's regular presenters, "some programmes will be put together by John Peel and Mick Farren" - although in the end Peel never did broadcast on the station. IT 60, 1969-07-18, p.12 "John Peel is a liar!" Half-page ad for Dandelion Records' first releases, with Peel photo and text. IT 64, 1969-09-12, p.15 Letter from reader (David Green); "Since the BBC seem determined in their efforts to deprive John Peel of his listeners by moving his programmes around, we - the listeners - must thwart these efforts. We must simply KEEP LISTENING...." IT 64, 1969-09-12, p.18 Ad for "A Seance - The Crab and the Crescent Moon" with the Third Ear Band and Bridget St. John. Guests John Peel (Jews Harp) and Sam Hutt (sitar). Presented by Blackhill Enterprises at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, but no date given. IT 64, 1969-09-12, p.20 "Pop Press - Is It Rubbish?" Survey of the pop and rock press; On Disc ("the most pretentious of the weeklies") ; "The really strange thing about the magazine is the never-ending flow of effort to get on terms with (to use a Disc word) the underground. A few months ago John Peel was enlisted in an effort to win over new readers but his 2 pages dwindled and finally disappeared." IT 65, 1969-09-26, p.20 Slightly ranting letter, responding to "Free Radio" article, argues that BBC's output is more varied and superior to that of the pirate atations; "Search your memories. Big L was terrible....John Peel was shoved into a nadir-listening spot, after midnight, when the lack of commercial didn't matter..." Author unknown, as page is incomplete. IT 66, 1969-10-10, p.26 "Output": "Gene Vincent Bops Again". The scene is that John Peel heard him recently whilst in the States and got Clive Selwood to agree to signing him up for the Dandelion label... IT 66,, 1969-10-10, p.30 Review of Bridget St. John's "Ask Me No Questions"; ...Engaging without being presumptious and the same goes for J. Peel's production - obviously a man of multiple talents. Links Wikipedia IT online archive homepage